Maternal fitness at the onset of the second trimester of pregnancy: correlates and relationship with infant birth weight. Issue 6 (20th December 2012)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bisson, M.; Alméras, N.; Plaisance, J.; Rhéaume, C.; Bujold, E.; Tremblay, A.; Marc, I.
• Is Part Of: Pediatric obesity. Volume 8:Issue 6(2013:Dec.)
• Page Start: 464
• Page End: 474
• Publication Date: 2012-12-20
• Subjects: Obesity in children -- Periodicals; Obesity in adolescence -- Periodicals; Obesity -- Periodicals; Overweight children -- Periodicals; 618.92398
• DOI: 10.1111/j.2047-6310.2012.00129.x
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1747-7174

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main"> <title>Summary</title> <sec id="ijpo129-sec-0001" sec-type="section"> <p> <list id="ijpo129-list-0001" list-type="bullet"> <title>What is already known about this subject</title> <list-item> <p> A healthy life begins <italic>in utero</italic> and a healthy pregnancy requires a fit and healthy mother.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p> Physical activity during pregnancy provides a stimulation that is essential for promoting optimal body oxygenation and composition as well as metabolic fitness during pregnancy.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p> Although a higher maternal fitness is expected to provide a beneficial fetal environment, it is still unclear whether physical fitness during pregnancy contributes to perinatal health.</p> </list-item> </list> <list id="ijpo129-list-0002" list-type="bullet"> <title>What this study adds</title> <list-item> <p> Participation in sports and exercise previously and at the beginning of pregnancy can benefit maternal health by improving cardiorespiratory fitness during pregnancy, irrespective of maternal body mass index.</p> </list-item> <list-item> <p> Maternal strength, an indicator of muscular fitness, is an independent determinant of infant fetal growth and can positively influence birth weight.</p> </list-item> </list> </p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo129-sec-0002" sec-type="section"> <title>Background</title> <p>It is still unclear whether maternal physical activity and fitness during pregnancy contributes to perinatal health.</p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo129-sec-5001" sec-type="section"> <title>Objectives</title> <p>The aims of this study were to characterize maternal physical fitness at 16 weeks of pregnancy and to examine its effects on infant birth weight.</p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo129-sec-0003" sec-type="section"> <title>Methods</title> <p>Maternal anthropometry (body mass index [BMI] and skin‐folds), physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness (VO<sub>2</sub>peak) and muscular fitness (handgrip strength) were assessed at 16 weeks of gestation in 65 healthy pregnant women. Offspring birth weight was collected from maternal charts after delivery.</p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo129-sec-0004" sec-type="section"> <title>Results</title> <p>A higher VO<sub>2</sub>peak was associated with physical activity spent at sports and exercise before and in early pregnancy (<italic>P</italic> = 0.0005). Maternal BMI was negatively associated with cardiorespiratory fitness (<italic>P</italic> < 0.0001) but positively related to muscular strength (<italic>P</italic> = 0.0001). Unlike maternal cardiorespiratory fitness, handgrip strength was positively associated with infant birth weight (<italic>r</italic> = 0.34, <italic>P</italic> = 0.0068) even after adjustment for confounders (adjusted <italic>r</italic> = 0.27, <italic>P</italic> = 0.0480).</p> </sec> <sec id="ijpo129-sec-0005" sec-type="section"> <title>Conclusion</title> <p>A positive relationship between maternal muscular fitness and infant birth weight highlighted maternal strength in pregnancy as a new determinant of infant birth weight.</p> </sec> </abstract>